Velvet Lupine
Lupinus leucophyllus
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Walter Siegmund (talk)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Lupinus
- Species:
- Lupinus leucophyllus
- USDA Symbol:
- LULE3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, blue, lavender, white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Western Blue (Plebejus icarioides)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from deep taproot following fire. Common in fire-prone sagebrush and grassland communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or rocky soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny locations
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 14–30 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Inoculation with Bradyrhizobium beneficial for nitrogen fixation.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Scarification with hot water. Boil water, remove from heat, place seeds in hot water, let it cool for several hours, then plant.
Establishment: Seeds are brittle and can be easily damaged by mechanical scarifiers. Hand scarification with sandpaper is effective but difficult to control. Seed collection must be done frequently as pods shatter readily when ripe. There is a wide variation in size, shape, and color of the seed.
Source: npn.rngr.net